Health and Human Services awards nearly $1 million to Transitions program

Posted on:April 7th, 2014byTheBridge

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – (April 7, 2014)

The Bridge for Youth, a Minneapolis-based non-profit serving runaway, homeless, and abandoned youth, is pleased to announce its Transitions program has been awarded a five-year $930,000 grant by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

“This is a huge win for the youth in our community and it allows The Bridge to continue to positively impact the lives of youth and families in crisis,” said Dan Pfarr, Executive Director at The Bridge for Youth.

The five-year grant provides $186,000 each year for up to five years for the program, which provides shelter for up to 18 months, counseling and case management, life skills education and support for youth ages 16 and 17 who are unable or not ready to return home due to family conflict, homelessness, abandonment, or other circumstances.

“Extended-stay shelter and services have been part of our programming since 1997,” continued Pfarr. “However, in 2013, we saw a change in societal needs and re-engineered Transitions to better meet the needs of our youth. We believe this grant award signals a vote of confidence in The Bridge’s new Transitions program model.”

The Bridge for Youth is one of 24 non-profits across the country to receive this funding from the Health and Human Services department.

The Bridge for Youth, a 43-year old organization, serves homeless, runaway, and abandoned youth. Core services include a 24-hour crisis hotline for youth and families and 24-hour emergency and extended-stay shelter for youth ages 10-17. The newly expanded Counseling Services Program provides free walk-in and by-appointment counseling and support groups for kids, parents, and families.